The invention described herein relates to a wound treatment device, and in particular, to a wound treatment device configured so as to provide a wound cover out of contact with a wound on an awkwardly shaped body part, such as a foot, or a hand, that is capable of delivering heat to the wound.
A novel mode of wound treatment employing a non-contact wound treatment device is disclosed in detail in published PCT applications WO 94/00090, WO 96/157445 and WO 98/46179, each of which is owned in common with the present application. The device covers a wound, forming a treatment volume above and over the wound. The device is comprised of a plurality of parts, principally an attachment portion, a wound treatment portion, and a transition portion, each having a specific function.
The attachment portion connects and retains the wound treatment device on the skin of a patient. The wound treatment portion generally comprises a standoff that rises above the patient""s skin surface and a wound cover that spans the open portion of the standoff. Together the standoff and wound cover define a wound treatment volume. The transition portion connects the attachment portion to the wound treatment portion.
One of the important functions of the transition portion is to adapt the wound treatment device to the contours of the part of the patient""s body to which the device is attached and to accommodate movements of the patient that deform the attached wound treatment device. This is particularly challenging when the wound is located on a portion of the body having a relatively low surface area or a tightly curved shape, such as a foot or hand. Substantial stress is put on the attached wound treatment device resulting in deformation of the device, detachment from the skin, and the like. A need exists, therefore, for a wound treatment device with improved performance characteristics when used on body parts such as hands and feet. The present invention addresses that need.
The present invention is a treatment device that is particularly well suited to treating tissue on the hand or foot of a patient. The treatment device is useful, for example, to treat those wounds that commonly occur on a patient""s extremities, and are particularly difficult to treat.
The invention is a non-contact tissue treatment device having a cover formed as a bag, sac, or pouch, one or more flexible attachment portions, and a support member supporting a portion of the cover off of and out of contact with tissue. The cover has an end and an end edge. The one or more attachment portions are disposed at the end edge of the cover. The support member, which support the cover, can comprise a ring made of, for example, a foam material. In an alternative embodiment, the support member can comprise a generally rectangular member having a central cutout and comprising two side extensions and one end extension which can be folded around the hand or foot undergoing treatment.